Froggatt, Walter Wilson

Walter Wilson Froggatt was born in 1858 in Melbourne, Australia. He had a keen interest in natural history, especially entomology, and led the adventurous life of a professional collector. In 1885 he joined the Royal Geographical Society’s New Guinea Expedition and not much after that he was employed by Sir William John Macleay as a collector. Beginning in April 1887 he spent more than a year in the wildest parts of northwest Australia, working for Macleay. He spent most of his life in the field, either as a free-lance entomologist or in the service of institutes, museums or private collectors. Usually he traveled alone either by horse or on foot, carrying his equipment and supplies. He collected an enormous number of specimens, which are distributed amongst the many collections in Australia and overseas. In 1907, he published a popular book, the “
Australian Insects” and in 1923 another on “
Forest Insects of Australia.” He was an avid writer, producing a record number of published...